Less than a week after Greg O’Sullivan retired as the Templeton Fire Department’s chief, Templeton Community Services District announced that Jim Langborg will be its next fire chief.

TCSD General Manager Jeff Hodge said the board started with 47 applicants and through the use of an external search firm, the stack was narrowed down to 16 with whom phone interviews were conducted and then finally six applicants were selected for interviews.

“From those final six, we chose Jim,” Hodge said.

Hodge said the initial plan was to complete the search by the beginning of June so the transition between O’Sullivan and his successor would be seamless. Instead, Deputy Fire Chief Rod Hewitt has been serving as the interim fire chief and will do so until Langborg takes over.

“I think it’s going to be a good fit,” Hodge said.

Langborg, 44, will move from Fort Apache, Ariz. to Templeton with his wife, Tina, and daughter, Jordan, 18, this month.

Langborg said he began his time in the fire service 17 1/2 years ago, but knew early on he wanted to go into the field.

“When I was a little kid I wanted to be in the fire service and a paramedic,” Langborg said. “Johnny Gage was my hero.”

John Gage was the main character of the 1970’s TV show “Emergency!,” which followed the adventures of two Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics.

Langborg said watching that show spurred his passion for the fire service and becoming a paramedic.

After he finished high school in Salt Lake City, Langborg joined the Air force and spent the next four years in Anchorage, Alaska. In the military, his focus was on being a paramedic. When he left the military, he went to Oregon Health Science University. From there, he went to San Jose where he interned as a paramedic.

The bulk of his fire service was in Clark County, Wash., where he served until he took a deputy fire chief position in Fort Apache, Ariz. He served on the reservation for only one year; he said he started looking for a new job because the department was having financial problems.

Langborg said he applied for the job in Templeton because of the small town feel.

Tina said he sent her pictures of the produce at farmers’ market when he visited.

“We are just happy to be here and do our best to be a part of the community and to protect them.” Langborg said.